


Echoes

by Elemental1025



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Spoilers: Infinity War Trailer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 22:23:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11792691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elemental1025/pseuds/Elemental1025
Summary: **Infinity War Spoiler Alert**  From, like, literally 5 seconds total of screen time from the trailer.  Really, it’s just the setting, the rest is just my speculation/wish-fulfillment.  But if you don’t want even a hint about Infinity War, turn back now, do not pass GO, do not collect 200 Stucky dollars.  You have been warned!Bucky is obviously out of Cryo and the trigger words have been dealt with.  Steve is… Steve.  I love them, and I love playing with them.  That is all.ETA:  I wrote this after the D23/SDCC trailer came out in July... but most of the scenes I used as a jumping off point were in the new trailer too.  Thanks for reading and the comments give me life!





	Echoes

Bucky cradled his beloved battle rifle in his arms, mentally synching with the precision mechanics of the weapon as he pulled the slide bolt with a satisfying click. 

 _Minions_?  He tried the word on for size and decided it didn’t fit, way too passive.  And there was that movie with the cute yellow guys that Natasha had made him watch, so definitely no.  _Murderous Hoards_ …?  That was closer, but still not really evil enough.  _Ravening Hellspawn_ … that sounded like it could be a winner, but he’d have to ask Sam if… _when_ he saw him again.  Sam would probably come up with something perfect right off the top of his head. 

Whatever you called them though, Bucky decided the Black Order were simply the embodiment of basic, primal fear.  Bucky had seen a lot of evil in his lifetime, sometimes even in the mirror looking back at him, but he’d never encountered anything like these creatures. 

The dust had finally settled from the last skirmish, but it left a nasty layer of grit over everything and everyone still in the fight.  Bucky was used to it though, it didn’t matter what a place was like before, war always turned everything to dust. 

He settled a little more comfortably against the rocks at his back, enjoying the snatches of song and laughter he could hear from the warriors around him, reminding him so clearly of a different time, a different war, but with the same sense of duty and dedication to purpose.  Bucky had come to learn in no uncertain terms, that this was as much a reflection of their Leader as it was their culture and beliefs.  They had a strong system of power, but it was the people that _held_ that power that made all the difference.

T’Challa’s warriors were exceptional.  They’d more than held their own against these other-worldly predators, who’d obviously been surprised by the strength of the resistance they faced, and who were no doubt off now strategizing a new response. But T’Challa still carried himself with a quiet confidence that Bucky’s instincts were telling him he could trust.     

More echoes of nostalgia skittered through Bucky’s memory, so similar… almost like déjà vu.   Maybe he had always been a soldier, a weapon.  The sides were clear and simple, even when he'd been a tool for Hydra… where _soldat_ was his identity.  But he’d discovered… or maybe remembered, it was still so hard to tell which sometimes, that choice was a powerful thing.  And where he was now, where he had been when he was with Steve, and with the Howlies… that was _his_ choice.  And that difference gave him a new well of strength to draw from, something that he’d been cut off from for so long through the repeated mind wipes and reprograming.  It was almost intoxicating, finally feeling that again. 

He wouldn’t take that for granted. 

He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, as a familiar presence wedged in beside him.  He didn’t have to look to know who it was.  After Bucharest, it had been so easy to get back into rhythm with Steve, like remembering how to breathe. 

“Hey, you ok?” Steve’s weight pressed comfortably against his shoulder.

Not taking his eyes off the horizon Bucky answered, “Yeah, I’m good”.  He stole a few quick glances at Steve, taking in the scuffed and dirty state of his uniform, “You good? “

Steve smiled proudly, and damned if the sight of that didn’t still make Bucky’s heart flutter embarrassingly in his chest, “Yep, we secured the western pass.  Nothing is getting in that way.” 

“I was just thinking,” Bucky looked back at Steve again, trying to figure out how to put what he was feeling into words, because it seemed important for Steve to understand, “how familiar this feels, being a soldier, I mean.  But it’s different from when I belonged to Hydra, this feels more like it did back in ’44.”

Steve studied Bucky’s face, concentration deepening the tiny lines between his eyes, “You’ve always been a protector, Buck. From the moment I first met you." Steve shook his head, with the familiar grimace he wore whenever the subject of Hydra came up.  "Hydra perverted that, found a way to focus those instincts on their goals rather than your own, by making you forget who you were, who you loved.  But even they weren’t able to completely take that from you.  You found your way back.”  Steve paused, like he was deciding whether to continue.  “That’s what I saw that day on the bridge.  Right before Nat shot that rocket at you.  I _saw_ something click in your eyes.  I couldn’t be sure until later, but after DC… I _knew_ the real you was still in there."

Bucky considered his words, as his eyes swept across the sea of warriors around them, “Yeah, maybe.”  He still felt guilty, though, about what Steve had given up for him, but like Steve was reading his mind, he went on, “…and I know you still think I miss it, Stark’s shield, the whole… _Captain America_ thing, but the shield, the persona, it was only ever a tool.  Now, we’re part of a living shield, it’s our job to keep the darkness out and yeah, I know how corny it sounds, but I feel like when you and I are together… that’s really all I’ll ever need.” 

Bucky shook his head, unable stop the indulgent grin, “You’re such a sap.” 

“Hey, man you’re the one strolling down memory lane, I just call it like I see it.” 

They sat in companionable silence for a moment, enjoying the precious and all too fleeting calm, but eventually they both knew they’d have to get back to work.  Shifting easily back into soldier mode, Bucky gave Steve what intel he’d collected from the last encounter, with clinical precision he detailed the enemy’s unit strength, armor weaknesses, fighting style, anything he could think of that would give them an edge.  Steve listened intently and Bucky knew his tactical brain was weighing and sorting all the info, to use to it’s best advantage later.

Eventually Bucky ran out of data, but there was one thing that he was still… not concerned about exactly, but that he wasn’t sure he understood.

“So what about those reinforcements T’Challa was telling us about?  Did he go into any more detail about that?”

“Not exactly, but he says they’ll be ready.  He’s adamant that Bast will help when needed to protect the Stone. That he isn’t going to give it up without a fight, no matter what the odds are, but that Bast will gain strength from his warrior’s strength, and that they know they basically have to fight their hearts out to make this work.”

Bucky was fairly certain of the answer to his next question too, but he still wanted to hear it out loud, “You believe him?”

Without hesitation, Steve replied, “Yeah, I do.”

Bucky nodded, “Me, too.”

And they both knew there were no options here, no viable alternatives.  There were other battles going on while they held the line here, but if they lost the Stone, it was over.  Everything would be gone.

“I gotta get back.” Steve scooted out from under the rocks, shifting his weight to the hand braced next to Bucky’s hip and leaning in for a slow, sweet kiss.  Bucky was still getting used to the beard, it was definitely different but he like the soft feel of it and he raised his metal hand to gently stroke Steve’s cheek.  Finally Steve straightened and winked at him before heading off, back to his team. 

Even though the stakes were so much higher, the similarities to what they had faced together before was still striking...  like someone had just pressed pause for a few decades for the both of them and they were finally back where they were supposed to be.  Like nothing had really ever changed.

Bucky let a contented smile touch his features, his lips still tingling.  Well… maybe one thing had changed.


End file.
